Category Archives: Human Rights

As I heard the words from the representative from Greeleyville ringing out saying “We want our freedom now!” coupled with the words back to back from the other representatives saying that we are here to send a clear message to Washington, DC, I stood there thinking “South Carolina is firing again and this will be Civil War 3!”

These conferences are wonderful opportunities to engage in interactive activities and dialogues with people that live the Gullah/Geechee culture and learn first hand how they continue to keep their cultural heritage alive. You can also learn how you can be an active part of assisting in that process. The Gullah/Geechees encourage hunnuh fa jayn we fa yeddi who webe frum we!

The current US administration is attempting to overturn the the removal of the east coast from oil exploration and drilling. The Gullah/Geechee Nation is calling on all of our citizens and supporters to stand with us and our environmental partners as we rally to #StoptheDrill and the use of seismic guns off of our coastline!

The Gullah/Geechee Nation we’ve got to stay together and maintain unity! We must continue to affirm that we will do as Dr. King dedicated his life to doing and choose to identify with the underprivileged. Choose to identify with the poor. Choose to give your life for the hungry. Choose to give your life for those who have been left out…This is the way I’m going in order to live up to the mission of the Gullah/Geechee Nation.

Please take the time today to write a letter or online comment expressing that you do NOT want any seismic guns used nor any oil exploration and drilling to be done in the Atlantic Ocean due to the fact that this would cause irreparable harm to the homeland and waterways of Gullah/Geechee people. This will have negative impacts on the Gullah/Geechee fisheries as well as the quality of life on the Sea Islands. Therefore, you stand in opposition to oil leasing in the Atlantic Ocean. You can submit the comments and letters here: https://www.boem.gov/National-Program-Comment/ Please cc the letters to the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition at GullGeeCo@aol.com as well.

The Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition has fought against the re-enslavement of Gullah/Geechees as well as the misrepresentation of our culture and displacement of our people from our homeland from Jacksonville, NC to Jacksonville, FL. Yet, not everyone wants to be free unfortunately. So, as Ella’s Song says,

Not only will the thousands of attendees be able to hear Queen Quet present, “Yeddi We: Rising Voices of the Gullah/Geechee,” the dialogue will be broadcasted live. Tune een fa yeddi disya at 2:30 pm EST at https://apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual/attend-virtually/apha-live

Having been one of the people that helped write the Pocantico Call to Action on Climate Change and Cultural Heritage, my focus has been on how sea level rise and other outcomes of climate change impact the sustainability of cultural heritage. So, I am under no illusion about the required continued diligence of natives of the coasts to stand up and speak out about protecting the cultural heritage of our coasts.

In 2013, the Governors of the States of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia declared “Gullah/Geechee Awareness Month” and “Gullah/Geechee Heritage Month,” respectively. Since that time, the leaders of the Gullah/Geechee Nation have continued the celebration of “Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Awareness Month.”